Mary Green hosts a monthly collage challenge on her blog, with a few images from her collections. When I saw it, I had some ideas to change it around. And to banish Winter! NO MORE SNOW, I want Springtime!!
I also wanted to try some beeswax, and thought this would be a good opportunity to experiment.
This is what she had us all start with. The rule is to use every image, but that you can add other papers and stuff too. The last time Mary was here for craft day, she gave all of us pages and pages of printed images from her many collections, so I decided to use only "Mary Papers" in my creation.
To change the Victorian lady into a fairy, I first cut her out like a paper doll, then traced her skirt shape onto some floral paper and then cut it out on glued it over the existing gray skirt. That part was easy, it was a little tougher to piece in the bodice of the dress. After tracing and piecing it in, I had to trim away some extras, and then used a light brown marker over the whole dress to add folds in the fabric.
The French holy card had a pretty border that I cut out and used as a ruffle at the bottom of the skirt.
I didn't care for the winter theme, so snipped off the ice skate blades and the muff, and glued the paper doll onto a tag covered in ledger paper (from Mary's collection), the text from the French holy card, the bank letter head from the challenge, and some green silk ribbon.
Have you ever tried beeswax over your art? I did once, in a Silver Bella class, so knew just a little about it. I had to experiment this time to get it right.
I melted the wax in a mini crock pot that came free with my big crock pot.
Starting with the smaller areas,like the sleeves, I brushed wax on with a small brush, then with a larger, flat brush, filled in the skirt.
I discovered that a blob can be smoothed out with another application of wax over it. And its good to work in one long swoop of a brush stroke.
Adding glitter to the waxed wings sounded like a good idea, but it wasn't. So I discovered that you can scrape away the wax with the flat side of an exacto knife's blade.
This made a really cool texture, the dress is a heavy coat of wax and the wings are a flat, sheen of wax, just the remnants from me scraping off the glittery blob chunks that didn't work so well.
I also found that I could take the exacto knife's point to clean up the edges and any bumps on the dress. After that, I kind of polished it with a paper towel wrapped over my finger. Just a light buffing stroke over the whole waxed area made it look really pretty.
Her hat is a millinery leaf glued on her head, with a white feather and some rhinestones over it. Fast, easy and fit for a fairy queen. I made a belt for her from the same silk ribbon that I used in the background, and then touched up her hair with a brown marker and her lips with a pink one.
SInce I had cut off the muff she was holding, her hands were gone too, they'd been inside the muff. To fix that, I glued a bouquet over the place where her hands should be. We'll just pretend she is holding the flowers.
You can see the wax better in this close up. It creates kind of a dreamy look to the "fabric" of the dress.
A ruffle of crepe, (dipped in coffee to age it), a millinery bloom, and a fairy charm and I was done.
Thanks, Mary!
My studio is full of paper right now. I've been slicing and dicing vintage gift wrap to make up packages to sell in the Boutique. Its not there yet, but I'll let you know when it is.
While I was cutting up the paper, I just had to snip some off for myself, and I made up a couple of banners. This one is done with all baby shower gift wrap and playing cards to spell B A B Y.
The wallpaper chopping is progressing. Slowly but surely. Its so freakin boring to do that it takes me forever. I keep thinking of little errands I should run, or tell myself I need to check on something. I'll make up any little task to get a break from this big one. I'm trying to cut a LOT at once and get the shop stocked up.
At first its fun, because the papers are so pretty and I enjoy playing with them. But after cutting out 5 or 6 of the same pattern I get very burnt out and want to switch to a different roll of paper. Or just leave.
Its almost enough to make me want to work on my taxes. No, not really, no taxes have been done yet. That is even more tedious.
Honestly, a person who is self employed and works at home should have better discipline. I need a boss to make me finish this!
But here is a fun part of my job, I get to announce the winner of my drawing for the package of good stuff-
And the packet goes to:
Clairice at Storybook Woods (one of the first blogs I started reading)
Oh Karla, What a beautiful post, your photo’s are always so beautiful and to have all that vintage beautiful wall paper, how wonderful. Congratulations to Clairice, what a lucky girl. Thanks for being such an inspiration, love your blog. Have a wonderful week. Hugs, Terri
Your challenge collage is absolutely gorgeous!!!!
Love how you changed up the challenge, adding wax and wings.
You crack me Up my dear! I love how you played with the project! Sometimes it works,,,,and well,,we all know the other scenario! Looks good! I didn’t play with Wax at Silver Bella….what is up with THAT???
Can’t wait to see you wallpapers,,,,,I’ve got birthday hats to make! Used a couple I bought from YOU recently and some from Hidden Treasures ………
Take care, stay healthy and pray for Spring!
Hugs, Love and a Bus!
Shell
Karla, I was working on tax paperwork all morning to take to our appt. on Thursday — UGH! And I got a small taste of wallpaper cutting and ironing on Sunday. I wanted to run screaming in the other direction! I had an old black and white movie on to amuse me while I was doing it, which helped a bit. But, I’m with you — love it, love touching it, love looking at it, but cutting it is so tedious! I was just making some to use myself and thought I’d do it all at once so I wouldn’t have to do it again, but I quickly abandoned that plan!
The pictures just don’t do it justice – so glad I got to see it in person!!!
LOL! I know what you mean about the taxes…seriously, you’d think I could muster the mojo…I mean, we’re getting money back! But no, anything but that. I do need a boss to crack the whip. Oh well, it isn’t April YET! Love the wallpaper. Hope I can score some of your pretties.
Hugs,
Judy
What an amazing tag! I love the way your changed the dress. And I can’t wait to test the beeswax by myself – that’s really startling. I love to experiment with new stuff, too … and some of the best and most surprising effects are resulting of trivial stuff!
hugs, serafeena
It looks magical from this perspective!
Wonderful collage..I’m tired of winter too!! Love the effect of the wax on your collage, I have some that a beekeeper friend of ours gifted me with and I really don’t know what to do with it. YOu’ve inspired me to give it a whirl.
Smiles, Karen
The collage turned out beautifully, I love the way you turned the main image from winter to Spring, thats just brilliant.
You sure did put the sunshine in the snow princess!!
Always inspirational, always fun to stop by.
Keep smiling and creating
Karla, I love the Mary- piece, and how you added the wax,- and I can`t wait to see the walpaper packages….
Your BEAUTIFULL collages below, are wonderfull-the frame gorgeus, and every other thing you made ,using special things, are lovely-
Hugs, Dorthe—off to play with Mathilde.
how beautiful!!!!
oh, and all that wallpaper!!! just gorgeous!!
My, doesn’t she look grand! The tag looks fabulous. I’m still to pluck up courage to have a go with wax.
Beautiful
Try a little retail therapy as a reward to get thru the paper and the taxes!
Hi Karla: I received the two beautiful file cards today, and just wanted to say I love them. Thanks for the great wrapping also, The scrap of old wallpaper with the blue in it, and the seam binding will be used in the project I have in mind. Thanks so much.
I love the tag Karla. I bought a little crock pot at the thrift store for just this reason, but I haven’t tried it yet. I know some folks use those little irons to help smooth the wax too. I think my biggest drawback to paper crafting I’ve decided, is that my printer doesn’t print waterproof images. When I craft, it’s often at late at night too, so running out to the copy center isn’t a good option then. So, then I don’t do anything with my ideas. I have to find a good solution to that.
That’s an amazing amount of wallpaper! Goodness!
Congratulations to Clarice. I’m going to announce the winner of my giveaway tommorow.
Oh Karla, so pretty, I too have been wanting to play wiht bees wax and your tips help a lot!! OHhh, I won, thank you soooo much. I feel very blessed today. My girls and I will have fun playing xoxo Clarice
I love to see how things are so beautifully altered and you do them so well. Simply lovely.
Congratulations to me dear sweet friend Clarice ♥